Introducing your new favourite potato recipe – buttery, crispy SMASHED POTATOES! Crazy crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, there’s a serious risk that only half of these will make it to the dinner table….
Smashed Potatoes
Let me introduce you to your new favourite way with potatoes.
SMASHED!
CRISPY!
BUTTERY!!
Buttery CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES!
Best ever potato recipe!
If you are yet to experience the joys of crispy smashed potatoes, and my first experience was only 3 years ago when I was introduced to them by Claire from Sprinkles and Sprouts, a fellow Australian food blogger, these are going to change your potato game forever.
These taste like buttery french fries, albeit they are look completely different. “Rustic”, I declare loftily. They’re fluffy on the inside, and ultra crispy on both the underside and on the surface. All those ridges are the best! Forget squashing them neat and flat – the more nubbly the surface, the better the crunch!!!
Tips to make ultra crispy smashed potatoes
Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes are straight forward to make – boil, squish, drizzle, bake – but there are two little tips I’ve discovered along the way:
-
Let the potatoes steam dry a bit after smashing them. This ensures optimum crispiness!
-
Use butter and a touch of oil. Because butter = flavour, oil ensures more even and better browning and crispiness. Can’t use just butter because it burns in the oven at high temperatures.
Also, you can totally feel free to add flavourings like garlic and dried herbs, but they do burn a bit so you’ll get little black bits on the surface. In all honesty, these are so tasty as they are, they don’t need anything more! (In my personal, potato-opinion)
How to serve Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes
I would be totally happy just munching on these as a snack. And if I had a larger oven, or multiple ovens, I would make loads of these and serve them as a snack at gatherings. Because if you make these with small potatoes as I have done, they are perfect finger food snacking size.
But I typically serve these on the side of mains. It will go with pretty much any Western dish, from pork chops to fish, chicken to steak. Try it on the side of this Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce, these Lemon Garlic Marinated Pork Chops, these Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs or this Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast.
However you plan to serve these Crispy Smashed Potatoes, it has your name written all over it. Do it, do it, do it! – Nagi x
More potato recipes
- Crispy Parmesan Crusted Potatoes (side dish or to nibble)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make these Crispy Smashed Potatoes!!
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Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Potatoes - choose:
- 700g / 1.4 lb small potatoes (12 - 14) (Note 1)
- 1 - 1.2kg / 2 - 2.4lb medium potatoes (6 - 8)
Cooking:
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling)
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt (for sprinkling)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Finely chopped parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook potatoes: Bring a pot of water to the boil, add 1 tbsp salt. Cook potatoes until soft - small ones should take around 20 to 25 minutes, medium ones might take 30 minutes. It's ok if the skin splits. Alternatively, steam or microwave them.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
- Steam dry: Drain the potatoes and let them dry in the colander for 5 minutes or so.
- Smash! Place on the tray then use a large fork or potato masher to squish them, keeping them in one piece. Thin = crisper. Thicker = fluffier insides. (Both good!) More nubbly surface = better crunch!
- Steam dry again: Leave on the tray to steam dry for 5 minutes or so - makes them crispier!
- Drizzle: Drizzle with butter, then olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake: Bake for 45 minutes (small potatoes) to 55 minutes (medium) or until deep golden and crispy. Do not flip!
- Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
When I travel, Dozer stays with a golden retriever boarder. Rumbling with his friends, a whirlwind of fur chasing each other around the backyard, somersaulting across the lounge room as they tumble.
I’m told he’s internally fretting about me. 😂
Awful recipe says
Potatoes just fall apart and have practically become mash potatoes in 1 press! Terrible recipe
Wendy says
Sorry you had a bad experience. Maybe try a different potato? I boil mine until fork tender and use the bottom of a glass to smash mine to really break open the skin and flatten a bit. I hope you try again.
Carol says
Using gold or red potatoes works best they hold up better than russet when you boil them
Leora says
You probably overcooked the potatoes.
PJ says
I made smashed potatoes before, but your recipe ist the best!
I followed the recipe and the secret ingredient is definitely the garlic, and the butter of course 😉
My daughter, who eats potatoes only as fries or mashed, came for seconds!
I thought I would have leftovers, but nope, only 2 smallest potatoes left! 🙂
I served it with coleslaw and some leftover tzatziki.
Thank you for the recipe!
Sasa says
Just had these with salmon ans coleslaw. The potatoes definitely stole the show. So buttery and just divine. Will try them at our next bbq with the garlic infused butter and maybe a little rosemary. But they’re delicious just as they are. I used medium sized red potatoes.
Deborah says
Butter always adds more flavor and crispness you would not get with just olive oil…..fabulous recipe! 💗
Terri says
I made it with small gold potatoes and may have cooked them a bit too much. For some reason they came apart. Would I have been better off with red potatoes? I wasn’t able to smash them while still hot, Maybe that would have kept them together? Don’t potatoes change texture and starch content when they cool?
Wendy says
You are doing them right. Oftentimes mine just look like a mass of smashed potatoes that I use a spatula to serve. For reference I usually use gold potatoes.
Katie becker says
These were fantastic
Linda says
Absolutely wonderful recipe!! Came out perfectly! Just wondering, would it work to make ahead and freeze? I’d like to make these for Christmas. Thanks!
thompthomp says
Surfing the internet. Found this recipe had only 2 potatoes in the frig. Tried this recipe absolutely delicious. Headed to grocery store in the morning to buy more potatoes.
Kerrie Thompson says
I’d be very wary about freezing but maybe do a test on a small batch for Xmas
Linda says
Just made this for dinner for the first time! Tasted exactly the way I wanted them to! You said you do small ones as appetizers-just wondering, could they be made ahead and frozen?
Kara Bragg says
Yummy recipe!
Now I ad a little cheddar and bacon bits as well.
When they are done I add a tiny bit of sour cream and instead of parskey i put chopped green onion bits as well… loaded baked potato!
Emily says
These look great! Does the sheet pan need to be oiled?
Sasa says
I used baking paper on mine
Vicki says
Wow what a hit these already have requests to make them again
Jean says
how long do I microwave them (instead of boiling)? and what kind of potatoes yield the best resuolts (fluffy on the inside) I’d like to stick with mini potatoes, so I don’t have to peel
Annabell says
These are phenomenal! Almost polished them all off from the pan!
Bawo says
Tried this last night and it was a hit! For a family that doesn’t like usually like potatoes, I was pleasantly surprised that we all enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for the simplicity of the recipe. Most especially, thank you for all the wonderful tips!
Alia Slamet says
Will the potatoes still crisp if I line the tray with baking paper or foil sprayed with oil?
Keen to try but don’t want to put straight on the baking tray.
Many thanks
Sasa says
I used baking paper. I didn’t spray it. Just drizzled as per recipe and they were perfect.
Wendy says
Awesomeness! We’ve just cooked these in a not-too-sophisticated gas oven at a caravan park in Maryborough and they were perfect! Ex-South Africans, living in NZ and loving touring around Australia. Will be making these regularly on the rest of our tour! Thanks heaps Nagi! And hugs to Dozer 😉
Courtney says
These are now our favorite way to make potatoes – incredible. Thanks for the share and for your ever-helpful tips to maximize crispiness!
Amy says
Yummy! I substituted olive oil for the butter and topped with fine sea salt and a sprinkle of Penzey’s Justice seasoning (a mix of pepper, garlic, shallot, and onion). I used a mix of small and medium gold potatoes and baked at 400F for about 40 minutes. Crispy, fluffy perfection!
T says
Easy and great presentation
thank you!